Southern Miss
East Carolina
Volleyball Eagles Sweep East Carolina
11/19/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 19, 2010
GREENVILLE, N.C. - The Southern Miss volleyball team moved closer to that 20-win season, posting a 3-0 (26-24, 25-21, 25-16) win over East Carolina Friday night.
The Golden Eagles improved to 19-10 overall and 12-6 in Conference USA, while the Pirates dropped to 1-28 and 0-17.
Redshirt junior outside hitter Ashley Mell led all players with 17 kills on a .414 hitting clip, while Lauren Sears and Sarah Jane Bowden added nine and eight kills, respectively. Setter Kelsea Seymour tallied 38 assists and libero Lisa Knecht led the team defensively with 14 digs. As a team, Southern Miss out hit East Carolina, .318 to .130.
Jackie Varnum led ECU with 10 kills and Nicole Jones finished with 16 digs.
East Carolina got off to a quick start in the first set, running out to a 12-6 lead. Out of a Southern Miss timeout, the Golden Eagles got their offense on track and scored the next seven points to take their first lead of the set, 13-12. Following an ECU timeout, the Eagles added a point on a Sears kill, but the Pirates came right back to tie the set on a Varnum kill and a USM hitting error. The teams traded points as the Eagles held an 18-17 lead. After an ECU timeout, the Pirated got kills from Britney Roper and Kelly Darby and a USM attack error in taking a 20-18 lead. An ECU attack error and Shelby Schacher kill tied the set at 20-20. The teams traded kills four times before a Pirates' attack error and a Kasey Kavanaugh kill tied the set for the 13th time at 24-24. Bowden then had back-to-back putaways to seal the set. 26-24.
Three kills, a Mell block and ECU attack error put the Golden Eagles up 5-0 to start the set. East Carolina battled within 14-13, but kills by Bowden and Mell put the lead to 16-13. An ECU service error and two Eagle kills extended the lead to 19-14. Out of a Pirate timeout, Southern Miss extended its lead to 24-18. East Carolina fought off three set points before Mell pounded down a kill for the 25-21 victory.
Southern Miss took the 11-8 lead in the third stanza on a Mell kill. The Eagles extended its lead behind four kills and two ECU miscues for a 17-12 lead. Out of an East Carolina timeout, the Eagles added a point off a Sears kill. Southern Miss then outscored ECU 7-3 for a 25-16 win.
Southern Miss continues its road swing heading to Marshall for a Sunday rematch at 12 p.m., central.
